Plenty of fine sports writing from across the country's papers with England captain Steven Gerrard the iconic image on several front and back pages today.

Image source, Daily Express

BBC Sport's Samuel Smith on Twitter:

Manaus - match day has arrived.

Image source, Samuel Smith

We've been talking to former Italy and Chelsea striker Gianluca Vialli ahead of tonight's game in Manaus.

Vialli says English players cannot handle the pressure from fans, whereas Italians "grow up eating pressure for breakfast". I wonder what pressure tastes like?

Rooney or Barkley? Sterling or Welbeck? Lallana or Milner?

There are plenty of selection dilemmas to mull over for tonight's big game.

Which set of players would you pick to support Daniel Sturridge and also provide defensive cover?

Get in touch on #bbcworldcup, external and on 81111 on text to let us know.

Or maybe they have just had a look at Phil Neville's BBC Sport column.

The former England and Manchester United defender has explained how the Three Lions should try to get their claws into Andrea Pirlo and his Italy side.

He has gone for a hard-working trio of Danny Welbeck, Adam Lallana and Wayne Rooney, ahead of Steven Gerrard and Jordan Henderson with Daniel Sturridge on his own up top.

"When England win possession, the aim will be to get Sturridge in a one-on-one situation with Giorgio Chiellini or Andrea Barzagli," he writes.

Image source, dstudge

So who are these likely-looking lads? A sixth-form end-of-term trip to Alton Towers? A lads' holiday to the Costa del Lager? The rejects from a boy-band audition?

Nope, it is Roy's boys captured on Daniel Sturridge's Instagram account on the team bus.

All looking very upbeat - has Hodgson's tactical masterplan just been revealed to them?

Matt Flecknoe:, external "So Spain lose 5-1 yesterday and now it's the end of a era for them? People forget they lost first game at the last World Cup."

Jdesatge: , external"While everyone's completely lost in the demolition act we saw yesterday; did anyone see THAT Torres miss?? Shocking!"

The Dutch Pundit: , external"Don't dismiss Spain just yet. Good squad and will repack themselves. Top of the group still very much in contention. Go Holland!"

Plenty of World Cup viewing and listening for you across the BBC today. Here's your guide to what we're showing and when:

• 12:00 - 14:00 BSTEngland v Italy build-upBBC Radio 5 live

• 16:00 - 19:10 BSTColombia v GreeceBBC One and BBC Radio 5 live

• 19:30 - 22:15 BSTUruguay v Costa RicaBBC Radio 5 live

• 22:20 - 01:30 BSTEngland v ItalyBBC One and BBC Radio 5 live

There is some corner of the home counties that is forever Italian.

Bedford will be less partisan than most of England tonight when Roy Hodgson's side take on Italy in their World Cup opener.

The market town, 50 miles from London, has 16,000 Italian inhabitants which constitutes a fifth of the town's population - the largest concentration of Italians in Britain.

BBC's Ross Davies has been to meet them before tonight's big match.

Image source, Getty Images

Legendary BBC commentator John Motson will be answering your World Cup questions at 13:30 BST today before England's opening game against Italy.

Send your questions to Motty using #bbcworldcupmotty and we'll put them to him.

Eleven o' clock... four hours since we started this live and another 12 until England trot out to face Italy in Manaus.

Here are your headlines:

England captain Steven Gerrard says there can be no excuses for World Cup failure as they prepare to face Italy.

Robin van Persie says that the Netherlands' crushing 5-1 win over reigning world champions Spain is "definitely down to Louis van Gaal".

Luis Suarez will miss Uruguay's opener against Costa Rica on Saturday as he continues his recovery from a knee injury.

Former Manchester United striker Diego Forlan has said he is relishing the chance to take on England and Italy in Group D.

"When the draw was made and it was England, Italy… I said: 'Well, you have to play against good teams.' I know it's going to be difficult for us, but I also know it's going to be difficult for them," the Uruguayan tells the Guardian., external

Yahoo Sports reports, external that Fifa officials are likely to conduct an investigation to explain why hundreds of seats were mysteriously empty at the Netherlands' 5-1 victory over Spain.

Australian prime minister Tony Abbot scored a social media own goal , externallast night as he called the Socceroos captain Mile Jedinak 'Mike' in a 'good luck' video posted online ahead of their opening game against Chile.

The video was swiftly taken off the internet, but not before it had been captured by other users and news outlets.

Image source, EPA

Here are some more statistics from last night's game between the Netherlands and Spain from our colleagues at Opta:

• Arjen Robben has scored seven goals in his last seven appearances for the Netherlands

• Daley Blind is the first Dutch player to provide two assists in a single World Cup match since 1998 (Wim Jonk v South Korea)

• Robin van Persie has scored 10 goals in his last nine appearances for Netherlands

There is no doubt what the main talking point on Twitter was on Friday for the World Cup. Robin van Persie's opening goal for the Netherlands against Spain attracted 183,076 tweets per minute, with the second most tweeted moment being Stefan de Vrij's goal with just over 181,000 tweets per minute. Arjen Robben's fifth goal attracted 125,800 tweets per minute.

In contrast, Mexico's winning goal against Cameroon received just over 93,000 tweets per minute, while Jorge Valdivia's goal was the most tweeted moment between Chile and Australia with just over 74,000 tweets.

Image source, EPA

Robin van Persie's spectacular equaliser for the Netherlands in their 5-1 win over holders Spain begs the question: What is the greatest header in World Cup history?

BBC Sport looks back at five of the best headed goals in World Cup history.

There is no excuse for being behind on anything that happened yesterday.

As well as the jazzy MOTD World Cup Catch-Up video with all the best goals, comment, bloopers, stats and funnies from day two, BBC Radio 5 live bring you all the action for last night's three matches a delighted Conor McNamara is also reunited with luggage in Pint-sized World Cup.

Fifa has declined to comment on reports that the Croatian team flooded their dressing room in Sao Paulo after their opening-day defeat to Brazil.

Niko Kovac's side were angered by a number of refereeing decisions, including the award of a soft penalty for a foul on Fred by Dejan Lovren.

A Fifa spokesman said: "It's fair to wait until there's a full report so we can validate that information."

Image source, De Teelgraaf

As the editions roll off the presses, the front pages are getting more and more inventive.

De Telegraaf mock up their national team and boss as matadors after they put Spain to the sword last night.